(NaturalHealth365)  For years, nutritionists have advocated for moderation.  There is no need to completely eliminate processed foods – just enjoy them in moderation.  This advice sounds reasonable, repeated endlessly by registered dietitians, government agencies, and health organizations worldwide.

But, now, research published in the Journal of Affective Disorders has revealed a disturbing pattern: people with elevated stress hormones are more likely to consume moderate amounts of ultra-processed foods compared to those eating very small amounts.

Study reveals troubling link between chronic stress and “balanced” eating habits

Scientists analyzed data from 2,525 participants in Brazil’s ELSA cohort, measuring hair cortisol concentrations – a biomarker that captures months of accumulated physiological stress rather than momentary fluctuations.  They tracked ultra-processed food consumption across the entire spectrum, from minimal intake to heavy daily consumption.

The results revealed something conventional nutrition completely missed.  Individuals with high hair cortisol levels had a 61% higher likelihood of consuming moderate amounts of ultra-processed foods, representing 13.8% to 21.6% of total calories.

This pattern exposes a troubling reality: the moderate consumption level that nutritionists promote as “balanced” appears most strongly linked to chronic stress hormone dysregulation.  Someone eating packaged snacks, sweetened yogurt, deli meats, and soft drinks a few times per week is in a hormonal danger zone that those who rarely consume these foods avoid.

Follow the money behind the moderation message

The moderation framework serves corporate interests perfectly.  Food manufacturers don’t need constant consumption – just regular purchases.  This message provides moral permission to continue buying ultra-processed foods while deflecting health criticism.

Ultra-processed food manufacturers are the largest sponsors of medical conferences, nutrition professional organizations, and dietary research.  For instance, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics partners with Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and General Mills.  The American Heart Association accepts millions in funding from companies that produce the very foods linked to cardiovascular disease.

Government subsidies artificially suppress prices for corn, soy, and wheat – ingredients used primarily in ultra-processed products – while farmers growing vegetables receive minimal support.  When institutions supposedly protecting public health receive substantial funding from processed food companies, one must ask whether science drives the moderation message or financial incentives shape the guidance millions trust.

Natural strategies for breaking the stress-food cycle

Restoring healthy stress hormone function requires eliminating triggers while providing targeted adrenal support.

Build meals around mineral-dense organic whole foods: Your adrenal glands require specific minerals to produce and regulate stress hormones effectively.  Prioritize unrefined sea salt for sodium and trace minerals, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate for magnesium, oysters and 100% grass-fed beef for zinc, and leafy greens for potassium.  These nutrients support proper cortisol rhythm rather than forcing exhausted glands to compensate for inflammatory foods.

Include adaptogenic herbs strategically: Ashwagandha reduces elevated cortisol levels while improving stress resilience, rhodiola supports mental and physical stamina during demanding periods, and licorice root helps maintain healthy cortisol levels throughout the day.  Unlike caffeine or other stimulants that overstimulate the adrenal glands, adaptogens restore proper hormonal signaling and help break stress-driven food cravings.

Stabilize blood sugar to reduce adrenal burden: Every blood sugar crash triggers emergency cortisol release as your adrenals work to raise glucose levels.  Combine protein, healthy fats, and fiber at each meal to create sustained energy release.  Eliminating ultra-processed foods stops the blood sugar roller coaster requiring constant adrenal intervention, breaking a major driver of the stress-eating cycle.

Prioritize sleep as non-negotiable: Cortisol should follow natural rhythm – highest in the morning, gradually declining throughout the day, lowest at night.  Chronic sleep disruption prevents this pattern from establishing and intensifies stress-driven food cravings.  Create complete darkness in your bedroom, maintain consistent sleep and wake times, and consider magnesium glycinate before bed to support both sleep quality and healthy cortisol patterns.

Discover what hormone experts reveal about reversing stress-driven eating

Conventional endocrinology recognizes only the most extreme adrenal disorders: Addison’s disease, where glands have essentially failed, or Cushing’s syndrome, where tumors cause cortisol overproduction.  Everything between these extremes gets dismissed as normal, leaving millions suffering from adrenal dysfunction that standard testing doesn’t detect and stress-eating patterns that seem impossible to break.

The ultra-processed food industry certainly doesn’t benefit when people discover that its products create the exact stress-eating cycle that keeps customers dependent.  They profit from promoting moderation despite emerging evidence revealing it may represent the most problematic consumption pattern.

Jonathan Landsman’s Thyroid and Adrenal Health Docu-Class brings together 21 leading holistic doctors and hormone specialists, revealing what Western medicine ignores about the stress-hormone-food connection.

Discover why conventional lab testing misses adrenal dysfunction until catastrophic failure occurs, the three progressive stages of adrenal exhaustion, and how stress-eating patterns differ at each stage, natural protocols for rebuilding adrenal resilience while simultaneously reducing stress-driven food cravings, and why balancing blood sugar represents the most powerful intervention for breaking the stress-eating cycle.

Sources for this article include:

Sciencedirect.com